The Return of Alex Cabot to SVU Arc: A Brief Yet Monumental Presence
by agapeandzoe
Summary: This is Alexandra Cabot returning to SVU in April 2018. She is married to Olivia Benson and they have three children. This is what happened in the lives of the Benson-Cabots upon her return for the one episode in SVU. This will be updated with the new, aforementioned episode she will star in. Enjoy! Rated M to be safe :) This just HAD to be written:)
1. Chapter 1

So…what a perfect way to capture what news I've just heard! Alex Cabot is returning to SVU, according to on 3/6/2018.

This is a perfect arc for me! It is the year 2018 and Olivia and Alex are married. Theo would be 8 years old and the twins would be 7. This will be from the moment they found out Alex was asked back and the drama begins!

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Olivia entered the townhouse at 6:38 p.m. that evening and her eyes went to the kitchen table.

No Alex. No kids. She moved to place her purse and blazer on the kitchen island, listening carefully.

Voices and the sound of water coming from the front of the house—the sunroom most likely. Olivia began removing her belt through the loops as she headed toward the noise, down the hallway and into the dimly-lit front room. Through the open doors, she could see her wife, standing, jean legs rolled up, red tank top on, spraying one of the raised garden beds in their front patio. The kids were sitting at the wrought-iron table and the blonde was talking with Theo as she watered—something about fractions or something math-related—and the brunette moved carefully, heading toward the open doors, the crisp March breeze wafting in through the space.

Alex looked up, catching eyes with her own.

"So, is it true?" Olivia questioned.

Alex looked up as she released the nozzle on the hand sprayer and Olivia noticed that slow smile as it crept along that porcelain face—enough to let the brunette know. Her wife nodded slowly before returning her focus to the matter at hand and pressing the trigger once more, continuing to spray the next bed. "Yeah, Liv. I was asked today."

Olivia moved closer, even closer still, folding her arms, watching as the twins worked on their own homework, before she let her gaze fall upon her wife once more. "And you didn't think to, maybe…let me in?" Olivia smiled at Isabel and Grace and then Theo. "No text, no call?" She moved to the kids and kissed their foreheads. "Hi, babies."

"Hi, Mama!" they beamed, almost in unison.

"How did you find out?" Alex questioned.

"Fin…who do you think?" Olivia finally smiled. "The guy with the deets."

Alex laughed lightly. "The deets. Count on Fin." Alex looked up then, her expression concerned. "I was gonna tell you, Liv. Tonight."

Olivia nodded slowly as she moved toward the blonde. "Tonight."

"Yeah…" Alex looked her wife's face over, her gaze dipping to her blouse briefly before returning to her eyes, "…tonight."

"How long?" Olivia asked.

"Just this one case."

Olivia nodded again. "And then?"

Alex smiled again, moving closer, her face within mere centimeters, "And then…no conflict of interest or personal intermingling in the work place." The blonde crossed her heart with her free, left hand, her other continuing to feed the marigolds. "I promise."

Olivia moved in closer and placed a gentle kiss on Alex's lips, lingering there and smelling the faint scent of her wife's perfume and a hint of espresso." Olivia moaned and pulled away, smiling. She opened her eyes and focused on blue pools in front of her. "Good."

"Good? Why?" Alex turned the water off and moved to the hose caddy, beginning to roll it back up.

"Because you at work is gonna just…"

"Gonna just what, Babe?"

Olivia could see her wife smirking, even at ten feet away. The brunette stepped to the kids and stood behind them. "Just…be hard to work with you so close, especially given our…"

Alex stepped close to the table then, where Olivia remained standing. "Given our what, Liv?"

"Our _history_ , Alex. It's been a while since we've worked in such close proximity to each other. Almost five years, to be exact."

Alex smirked and shook her head. "You won't be able to handle it?"

Olivia cocked her head to the side and shook her head, as well.

"Mama! I finished my sentences!" Grace beamed.

"Good, Baby! Good for you!" Olivia countered, her focus now on their brown-eyed daughter.

"I'm done, too!" Isabel shouted.

"I'm hungry," Theo whined.

"You done, Theo?" Alex questioned.

Theo nodded firmly two times and began gathering his materials.

"You guys go in and wash up. We're going out to dinner tonight. Pizza!" Alex enthused.

Olivia smiled at her wife then as the kids all moved around, gathering their belongings and making their way inside—but not before Grace hugged Olivia's hips. "Hey there, Gracie."

"I missed you, Mama."

"I missed you, too, Gracie." Olivia leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. "Go on in, Baby."

"OK. Mama," Grace agreed and then trotted behind her siblings inside the house.

"So…" Alex began, moving closer still. She placed her hands on the brunette's hips. "You OK with this?"

Olivia swallowed. "Yeah. It's just that…only Fin knows all about our personal lives…not Carisi or Rollins…"

"And you're afraid of what?"

Olivia shook her head. "Nothing. I'm not afraid of anything, Alex."

Alex narrowed her eyes. "That look tells me that you are…"

Olivia studied the piercing blue eyes in front of her and placed her own hands on the blonde's waist. "Our personal lives are sacred…treasured…you know that."

Alex nodded slowly, her focus on Olivia's mouth. "I know that, Babe…and don't you worry…"

Olivia threw her wife a perplexed expression, narrowing her eyes.

"I will handle it. I will handle anything that comes our way…" Alex's smirk grew into a full-blown grin.

Olivia couldn't help but lean in once more and press her lips to her wife's softness, letting her tongue linger along her lower lip for just a moment before she pulled away. She opened her eyes and smiled. "Oh, I know you will, Al. I have no doubt of that…" She winked.

* * *

A/N: So, short but sweet. When the episode airs in April, I will continue. Any feedback is welcome and I look forward to your follows and favorites. Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Olivia felt her wife behind her. Felt the blonde's warm breath on the back of her neck as she stood facing the black screen of the TV, saw the blurry reflection of her white shirt, of that flaxen hair.

The brunette lifted her mug to her lips and took a small sip of her tepid chamomile and honey tea and smiled as she felt the warmth of slender fingertips begin rubbing her shoulders. She closed her eyes and let out an unintentional moan before dropping her head forward, chin resting on her upper chest.

"So, talk to me, Liv," Alex husked against her ear.

Olivia smiled and released a small laugh through her nose. "Is it that obvious?"

"To _me_ …yes. I can always tell when something's on your mind."

Olivia turned then, facing her wife who was now casual after dinner in a pair of gray joggers and a white, crewneck t-shirt. She looked the blonde's face over, that perfect nose, that silky hair that was now in a ponytail, those incredible cheekbones and jawline, that mouth.

"You always could, Al. Even when we first began…"

Alex moved in then and the brunette felt firm hands glide up her hips and then along the back of her ribcage before inching those strong digits up the brunette's back before then settling on her shoulder blades. "And I don't want you to ever just count on that, Liv. Just count on my intuition and how well I know you. I want you to talk to me."

Olivia nodded, feeling the sting of fresh tears, not knowing where they were coming from, and smiled. "I know, Al. The past few years…I've learned how much talking to you helps me, Babe. After everything that happened to me…and everything that happened before him…I've learned if I don't talk about it, I'll head into a downward spiral."

Alex smiled then. "Like the Captain always said…that rabbit hole you sometimes disappear into." Alex brought her hands upward to and cupped the brunette's face. "Right?"

Olivia only nodded, looking deeply into her wife's soulful sapphires, feeling the tears well in her lower lids now, threatening to spill.

"And I know you still think about it, Babe. I can sometimes see it in your eyes, written along your face. And when you do...when it does cross your mind and you need to talk…no matter where you are—"

"I know…" the brunette detective interrupted, "…call, text, or send out a missile and you'll be available."

"Or you can send out a flare," Alex smirked. "You forgot that one…"

Olivia leaned in and kissed her wife gently, nipping her lower lip in between her own lightly before pulling away. "Like you always have been for me, Al." She kissed her once more and smiled, eyes still closed, and then uttered even more softly, "…like you always have been."

"So?" Alex questioned.

Olivia opened her eyes and looked at her wife, the blonde's eyebrows raised. "Can I shower and change and we can talk upstairs?" Olivia reciprocated the same expression.

"Absolutely, Liv." Alex leaned in and kissed her gently. "I'll be there."

* * *

Alex stepped into the bedroom at 9:30 that evening and closed the door gently behind her, noting the sound of water running inside of the master bath. She moved toward the middle of the room, just in front of the foot of the bed, and stood, hands on her hips, staring ahead and out of the parted plantation blinds just above the surface of their larger mahogany dresser.

Her wife was apprehensive—that much was obvious. But why? They had nothing to hide and everyone at the 1-6 knew that they were married, had three children, and had been an openly gay couple for years.

But maybe that wasn't it, at all.

Alex heard the sound of the faucet turning off and then heard Olivia cough lightly before sniffing and moaning.

The brunette had been struggling with trying not to get a full-blown cold over the past week and had been doing everything in her power to attempt to stave it off as best as she could—zinc, Echinacea, vitamin C, cups and cups of tea with honey.

Alex moved to the smaller dresser in between the closet and the fireplace and began removing her lavender silk robe, watching herself in the mirror as she did so and eyeing the matching, strappy nightgown beneath. She turned and tossed the robe on the bed before returning to the bureau and placing both hands on the surface, arms straight, hands clenching the outer edges, just looking at herself again.

She wanted to talk to her wife about exactly what was going on and Olivia had promised to tell her what she was feeling once she got bathed and settled in for the evening.

Alex moved to the bed then and sat, removed her glasses, and placed them on the bedside table, before reclining herself on her two, stacked pillows and laying on her side of the bed, folding her hands over her belly and waiting.

While first dating, their relationship so fresh and slightly taboo, Olivia had always been the more private one. Public displays were not her favorite and Alex knew that. They had kept their blossoming relationship sacred, hidden, only letting those who they felt actually cared about them and wouldn't judge them into their little worlds. Knew the scrutinizing eyes that were around them, and held sacred the idea, the chance at a true, lasting love between them.

Alex closed her eyes just as the bathroom door opened and then she quickly opened them at the sound.

Olivia emerged wrapped in a pale yellow towel and was clutching another against her mid chest, her hair damp, cheeks slightly rosy against that tanned skin.

Alex smiled, "Hey, Babe. Good shower?"

Olivia returned the grin, nodding. "Yeah, I feel much better. Less…grimy." Olivia moved to the same, smaller bureau and opened the top drawer on her own right side and took out a pair of white silky panties before shutting it. She brought the underwear and towel with her to the bed and laid the undergarment on top before beginning to dry her hair with the other towel.

Alex eyed her as she did so—muscles tensing, a definite femininity to her now-motherly body, eyes closed, skin sheened with moisture—and she rolled over onto her left side, to watch her more fully, placing her hands together and clapping them beneath her left cheek on the pillow.

"So do you wanna ride together tomorrow morning?" Olivia questioned, stopping her drying and standing erect.

Her hair was in wavy curls around her face, her mouth slightly parted.

"I don't know, Liv. I'm not sure exactly what's happening and where they need me. I'm not even sure I need to go to the precinct tomorrow."

Olivia nodded slightly and set the towel on the bed and then took her panties and stepped into them and began sliding them up her legs. She pulled them upward and then placed them over her hips and backside before moving to remove the towel around her body. She began drying the last remnants of water and then set the towel down again and reached forward for her charcoal gray nightshirt from on top of the duvet and slipped it over her head and through her arms.

Once her face appeared through the neck hole, she pulled it down and adjusted it, grabbed her towels, and moved back into the bathroom to put both on the hook behind the door.

Her wife was annoyed. She could tell. Very few words. Virtually ignoring her. Pensive mood.

"What is it, Liv?" Alex questioned, sitting up now and pulling her knees to her chest. "Either you're very irritated or you're not feeling well…or _both_ …"

Olivia looked at her then, raising her arched eyebrows and smirking. "Both? Can it be both?"

Alex relaxed then, smiling. "Both. OK. I know you're not feeling so physically great, but…irritated because… _why,_ Babe?"

Olivia sighed loudly and placed her hands on her hips. "It's Stone. I don't think he's gonna be around much longer."

"Why do you say that, Liv?"

"His sister…he has family problems…he took this job for his father. Always talks about keeping a promise he made to him. I think he's only staying out of obligation. Not for...not at SVU for—"

"The love of it?" Alex offered.

Olivia nodded then. "Yeah, the love of it." Then cocoa orbs pierced her own.

"And I asked you this already, but…what are you afraid of?"

Olivia looked at her more intently now. "Nothing, Alex."

"But it's _something_ , Olivia. Just tell me."

Olivia turned and sat on the edge of the bed then, back to her, damp tendrils bunched in the middle of her shoulder blades.

Alex moved onto her knees and inched her way closer, hovering just behind the brunette, and placed her hands on those tense shoulders once more, beginning to knead slowly.

"I'm afraid of him leaving…of getting a new ADA…of—"

Alex stopped rubbing. "Of _me_? Of me being there?" Alex leaned in closer to her ear. "You're afraid of my presence tomorrow?"

She saw Olivia nod slowly before morose eyes turned and looked at her over her shoulder.

"Why on Earth—?" Alex began.

"Because it's gonna be strange, Al. Last time you worked at SVU was six years ago and we had a few cases together. The kids were so little…I just worry about professionalism."

Alex bristled then, stilling her hands once more. "From _me_? Olivia I have been nothing but professional when we've worked together. We always keep—"

"No…" Olivia interrupted, turning fully then to face her, "…I don't worry about that…"

But Alex could see it in her eyes—the worry, the fear, the struggle.

"What, then, Liv?" Alex asked softly. "We're not that couple that has ever had the urge to…" Alex couldn't help but smile, "…have sex on a desk at the 1-6 or in the elevator or—" Alex couldn't help but giggle, "…although, Lord knows I've wanted to…"

That caused a small smile to form on her wife's face then.

Alex reached forward and cupped her wife's jaw. "I will be the professional attorney as I have always been and you, my love, will be the competent professional detective you've always been…" Alex raised her eyebrows, smiling, "…right?"

Olivia nodded. "Right. And…it's not _you_ I worry about being professional."

"Who is it, then?" Alex furrowed her brow, eyeing the brunette's mouth.

"I trust Fin wholeheartedly. He's like family and knows everything about every detail of our lives. But…Carisi and Rollins…and Stone…but especially Rollins. You know she is such a people pleaser…always right there proving herself…trying to…" Olivia placed her hands on the blonde's forearms, both looking at each other intently.

"Ahhhh…." Alex began, "…that puppy dog thing…"

Olivia nodded. "I don't want you to think that I cater to that in any way…that I condone how she's constantly—"

"Olivia Benson-Cabot. _Never_. I know that it's just a little crush and admiration and I've learned through the years that you aren't about that, my beautiful wife." Alex leaned in and kissed her gently before pulling away. "I know all about Amanda Rollins and trust that I know, by now, and what you've divulged to me, how to handle that one."

Olivia smiled and cocked her head to the side. "You sure?"

Alex nodded, still seeing those wheels turning in her wife's mind. "I'm sure."

"So, you _understand_?" Olivia's eyebrows raised.

"I understand, Liv. I do. One-hundred percent." Alex moved in closer again and hovered over the brunette's mouth. "One-million percent…"

"Which is _not_ a percent, according to you and working with Theo and math…" Olivia smirked.

Alex shook her head. "No. No it's not." Alex pressed her lips gently to her wife's and breathed in slowly, smelling her shampoo, her body wash, her essence, before pulling away.

"Good," Olivia agreed, smiling.

"Would you like a little… _relaxation technique_ tonight?" Alex smiled.

" _Would_ I?" Olivia's mouth was parted. "Absolutely."

"Kids are asleep?" Alex brought her hands to Olivia's breasts through her thin nightshirt then, thumbing her nipples as they peaked quickly.

"As far as I know," Olivia husked.

"Excellent…" Alex moved away then as Olivia scooted back toward her pillow and lay back, sweeping the duvet and sheet away from her body.

"Why did you wear underwear, then, Liv?" Alex smiled.

"To make things difficult," Olivia offered.

"Absolutely no problem…" Alex claimed before she inched toward her and settled her body in between her parted thighs. "This one is all about my baby's release and stress."

"OK, Al…" Olivia declared softly, cocoa orbs watching her every move.

Alex proceeded to hook her wife's underwear in her forefingers and began sliding the garment downward, bringing them as far as her knees.

A knock was heard at the door.

"Mommy?"

Theo's voice.

Alex smiled at her wife. "Yes, Baby? What is it?"

Alex and Olivia both looked toward the opening door just as Olivia began to sweep the covers back over her lower torso and Alex moved to the side.

"Mommy…I can't find my blue cap for the field trip tomorrow and you said you were making our sandwiches for the field trip and they're not in the refrigerator. Are you still coming?"

Alex froze then. "I told you, Theo…Mommy has to go to work and Uncle Johnny is going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with you and your sisters. Remember? First and second grade? Right?"

"But you said you were going and we were going to look at all the paintings and we could talk about them. Remember?"

Alex inched her way off of the bed and moved to sit right next to where Olivia was sitting. "I remember, Theo, and I was going to go but Mommy has to—"

"I want you to go, Mommy!" he whined.

"Theo." Alex looked sternly at their little boy. "You'll have fun with your uncle. You always do. What's the problem?"

"Uncle Johnny doesn't like art like you do. He doesn't explain the paintings the way you do." Theo's big morose eyes were looking at her then.

Alex looked at Olivia who was smirking.

"He's right, Babe. Only you know Gaugin and Matisse like no other."

"Theo…" Alex began.

At that moment, two more bodies became visible in the doorway.

"Hey, girls. What's going on?" Olivia asked.

"We want turkey sandwiches with cheese," Isabel spouted.

"And Sun Chips!" Grace offered.

Alex stood then. "You'll get all of that, Babes. Now…" she began ushering them all from the room, "…get in bed and we can worry about all of this in the morning, OK?" The blonde turned back and looked at her wife who was smiling. "Got it?"

The three kids moved to Olivia quickly and all gave their hugs and final kisses before returning to the doorway and letting Alex move them out of the room.

"In bed." Alex pushed them slightly and then turned. "I'll be back to—"

"Finish what you started?" Olivia raised her eyebrows.

"Absolutely, Liv. Five minutes and it's on."

"I'll be waiting, Babe. Ready and willing and able." Olivia winked.

* * *

A/N: So, I can't actually predict what's going to happen when Alex Cabot makes her appearance, so I hope that what I write flows with what we see on screen. Whatever happens in the way of dialogue on the show, I'll try to make it fit to their current lives. "It's been a while, Counselor." Comes to mind as something that might be said.

I am also considering opening up either another story on their lives as wives, mothers, and partners or re-opening "Memories in Time" to write 20 more chapters. You let me know and I'll do it. :)

I hope you enjoyed this and would love to hear what you thought about the impending episode.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So I watched a few clips for the upcoming episode and there are some lines that wouldn't fit into the current marital situation. So, I figured why not play with it. I won't give anything away, but you'll have to see what I'm talking about when the episode airs this week. You'll see where I was going after that.**

 **From what I saw in the clips, they seem very angry at each other, very at odds. And one of the lines was, "I thought you were in Florida," said by Olivia.**

 **So, I had to think of something.**

 **I hope you like what I'm doing with it.**

 **Thank you for the readers, reviewers, and new follows and favorites. It means a lot.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 ** _Chapter Three_**

The iPhone alarm played its usual chime at 5:30 a.m. and Alex reached over with her left hand, the other draped over her eyes, and tapped the screen blindly to silence the annoying intrusion.

"Jeez, Al…five-thirty?" Olivia whined lazily from her side. "God…why so early? I don't have to be in until eight." Her voice was raspy from sleep, and more than a little irritated, the light from the night light against the wall, lighting up the room with a delicate haze.

Alex took a deep breath and rolled onto her back and then onto her right side, smiling at her wife who was on her back, forearms crossed, wrists covering her eyes. "Because we have responsibilities, Liv. Little, adorable, precious responsibilities. And Theo won't let me hear the end of it if we don't find that damn blue cap." Alex moved closer to her wife and wrapped her left arm around her waist before sliding even closer and burying her face into the warmth of her neck.

She felt Olivia giggling then. "And don't forget the little queens' lunchtime requests…"

"I know…" Alex smiled, "…sandwichs à la dinde et au fromage…" Alex placed a soft kiss on the brunette's neck and inhaled her deeply.

"Mmmm, French. Yes, please," Olivia moaned.

"You like that, huh? Ma femme adore quand je lui parle en français…" Alex lifted her head to look at the brunette whose eyes slowly opened.

"It's not even light out yet, Babe. The birds aren't even awake. The kids don't have to be ready for another…" Olivia thought for a moment.

"Hour. I know. But…" Alex sat up then and then let her left forefinger begin at her wife's shoulder and traced downward along her upper arm, "…I think we can probably think of a way to send off this new case…the Benson-Cabot way…"

Olivia smiled then. "Oh, yeah?"

Alex nodded.

"I don't think my mouth, much less my tongue, is awake yet."

"Maybe we don't need those. Maybe…" Alex moved to straddle her wife then, "…we use the power of other body parts…"

Olivia placed her hands on the blonde's upper thighs and nodded, smiling. "Maybe we do have those."

Alex took her wife's wrists from her thighs and then moved them in one fell sweep, together, above her head on the pillow and hovered over her face.

Olivia cocked her head to the side. "You're so beautiful, Alex. Especially when you first wake up, Babe. I love your face with all that sleepiness."

Alex nodded and smirked. "I know you do…"

"You ready for today?"

"Are _you_?" Alex inquired.

"I think so. I have to be, don't I?"

"Yeah…" Alex leaned in and kissed her wife's right cheek gently, then her left cheek, and then hovered an inch from her mouth, "…but this Mommy is feeling frisky right now. Let's take advantage of the extra time and lady bond a little before we have to officially get up." Alex pressed her mouth to her wife's, opening and enveloping her lips in a soft, heated kiss.

Olivia moaned into it and tried to get her hands free. "Let go, Babe," she tried, breathing heavily.

Alex pulled away and shook her head.

"You _are_ feeling frisky, aren't you?"

Alex nodded.

"So…" Olivia summoned her early-morning strength then and broke her wrists apart.

Before Alex knew it, she was being rolled over and the brunette was now straddling her, hovering over her, and now in complete control.

The brunette detective moved her hips, letting her mound press into her own, thrusting firmly and beginning a rocking motion.

"Jesus, Liv," Alex breathed, moving her hands to clench the brunette's backside. "Yes, Babe, a little higher, and harder…raise my gown a little…I wanna feel you."

Olivia leaned in, "How about we both just lose our clothes?"

No words were necessary as the two ladies hastily unclothed before returning to their previous positions.

"No noise, Al. Were in a compromising position and we need the kids to stay asleep."

"Duly noted," Alex breathed as Olivia began her grinding motion once more.

The skin on skin contact felt incredible, her wife's warm, bulbous breasts pressed against her own, those hardened nipples poking against her own.

And with their spots being hit in exactly the way they needed to be for ultimate pleasure, the two began labored breathing, panting against each other's mouths, Olivia's eyes closed.

She shifted her hips then, and Alex could feel the wetness, the brunette's lower lips separating even more and, in turn, separating the blonde's as slickness on slickness glided together. Alex felt her clit on fire then, the warm fuzzy euphoria beginning as her wife moved along her.

Olivia lifted her face to the ceiling, her expression serious, her brow furrowed. "Uhhh," she moaned, "I can hear how wet you are…how wet I am, Babe…" Olivia opened her eyes and looked directly at her, that tanned skin flushed, that beautiful mouth parted, those almond-shaped cocoa orbs penetrating her entire being.

And Alex lost it right then and there.

With all of the sensations invading her body, the sounds and panting her wife was making, and the feeling of intimate, sexual comfort as the brunette moved rhythmically on top of her, loving her, her release came fast and Alex felt her face change, contorting with pleasure as she gripped her wife's ass even more firmly then, her own body jumping with pleasure as an orgasm ripped through her body.

Olivia continued her motions and laughed lightly before her own caramel expression turned serious once more and she lifted her face to the sky once again. She moaned loudly, crying out in a gentle whimper, releasing a small, high-pitched "ohhh" before her body began jumping with contractions, hips still moving until the last spasm left her body and she stilled her agile lower half.

Dark brown eyes opened slowly and she smiled.

Alex only shook her head. "My sexy goddess…always good with the orgasms…"

Olivia bit her lip and looked at her intently.

Alex patted her hips. "Don't worry about today, Liv…this case…I…I have an idea that might make it more fun, actually…"

Olivia raised her eyebrows. "Oh, yeah? What's that?" Olivia moved off of her then and lay on her back, patting her upper shoulder.

Alex obliged and slid over, placing her head on her wife's upper chest, and pulling the sheet and comforter up with her. She moaned and smiled. "I think that me coming to work with you again turns you on…and I'd say it turns me on, as well." Alex couldn't help but giggle when she felt the brunette stiffen slightly.

"Oh, you do, do you? How so?" Olivia began stroking light fingertips along the blonde's bicep then.

"Well, aside from the fact that we both came so quickly…I thought we'd need more time, hence the early wake-up call." Alex laughed.

"Zero to a million, Babe. Always." Olivia's voice was satisfied, relaxed. "So what's your plan?"

Alex thought for a moment, wondering if her wife would go for it, even a little bit—if at all. "Role playing." That was all she said.

She waited, and waited, and waited.

* * *

Olivia narrowed her eyes, looking up at the ceiling.

"Not in _front_ of everyone. Just when we're alone or on our own, Liv. Not the _whole_ time."

"Which will happen when, Alex? When will we be alone? I'm not sure I like this…"

"Come on, Liv…" Alex removed herself from the brunette's arms and propped herself on her elbows on her stomach, "…it'll be fun. Serious and professional around everyone else and then mysterious when we're alone."

"Alex—I—"

"Before you say 'no', just think of the role playing we've done in the past and how turned on we got. Pretending we didn't know each other at the bar, the cuffs and me as the bad girl, and remember that time—"

"I'm gonna have to give you a giant 'no' on this one, Babe. I can't…I just can't flip back and forth like that…something might slip…"

Alex moved in closer to Olivia. "But think of how exciting it'll be." She smiled. "I can be the ADA that's been gone for six years. You don't know anything about my life or where I've been. We've both been thinking about each other and we see each other for the first time. I could have been living in some exotic, tropical locale. We meet and know we still have feelings and…you can be really angry with me and…and…"

"And _what_ , Babe?" Olivia moved the sheet and duvet from her body then and stood, clicked her bedside lamp on, grabbed her beige, silk robe from the foot bench and put it on, and tied the belt firmly. "I can get _mad_ at you and then we can aggress at home? With three small kids in the house? And have to switch it back and forth again? I can't, Al. I told you I wanted to be professional, remain professional, and that's how I work and operate." Olivia moved to the dresser then and took a black ponytail holder from the top and began putting it on.

Alex removed herself from the bed, as well and then moved to place her nightgown, that had been discarded onto the floor only moments prior, on once more. She topped it with her own robe and moved up to Olivia at the bureau, placing her hands on the brunette's shoulders. "Can we at least _try_? See what happens? Humor me, Liv."

Olivia looked at her in the reflection as the blonde slithered her arms around her waist and clasped her hands against her lower belly, the brunette's expression unyielding.

" _Please_ , Baby?" Alex tried once more before kissing the side of her neck softly.

She watched as Olivia's eyes closed and saw the resignation spread across her beautiful face.

" _Maybe_ ," Olivia offered, her voice soft, gentle. The detective's eyes opened again. "You sure know how to get what you want, don't you?"

Alex nodded and smirked and then settled her chin on her wife's left shoulder. "I'm a pro at that, Babe. From just a wee lass." Alex slapped her wife's backside firmly. "Think about it. We can give it a shot. You never know how it will turn out." Alex moved to retrieve her glasses from the bedside table and slipped them on.

"Mommy? Mama?" Theo's voice coming from behind the door.

Alex opened the door and smiled at their son. "Hey, Theo! Ready for the museum?" she beamed.

Her wife was so cute. So incredibly, sexy and cute. And she couldn't wait to see her in a skirt suit and carrying her attache once again. Olivia couldn't help but smile as the blonde moved to hug and kiss their son good morning.

"I'm ready, Mommy!" He looked at Olivia. "Hi, Mama!" He ran into her and hugged her hips.

"Hi, Baby. Good morning," she oozed before leaning over and kissing the top of his head.

The two ladies looked at each other and Olivia couldn't help the warmth she felt at that moment.

Alex took Theo's hand and began leading him slowly from the room. "What do you say to some of your Mommy's famous blueberry, banana, and whole grain pancakes this morning?"

Theo began jumping up and down as they walked out of the doorway. "Yea! With whipped maple butter and hot syrup?"

"Absolutely, my boy." Alex turned and winked at the brunette before turning back to their son. "Absolutely.

Alex and Theo headed down the hallway and Olivia heard her wife mention something about him getting his sisters up for the morning.

Olivia folded her arms and continued to watch them, thinking about what the blonde said and wondering if she could pull it off, and if it would, in fact, be exciting, and if she even wanted to do it at all, for that matter.

She closed her eyes and yawned, wondering what would come of her time working with her wife again and how it would all turn out in the next week or so.

It would either satisfy or irritate.

And, truth be told, Olivia couldn't wait to find out.

She turned and looked at herself in the mirror once more, adjusted her robe, and then turned and headed out of the bedroom, ready to greet a new day and ready to work alongside her wife once again.

* * *

Let me know what you thought.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four**_

"He made bail?" Olivia slipped her glasses from her nose and set them on top of her closed laptop.

"Leapt from the courtroom. Like it wasn't nothing. I heard he was cool as a cucumber as he walked out. Not a drop of sweat." Fin drawled. "I wish we had more news than the car at the mall." Fin shifted on his feet.

"Maybe we'll get something out of the husband. And the blood is most likely hers?" Olivia bit the end of the stem of her glasses.

"Most likely, Liv. We'll know more soon. But, Mr. Hunter's lawyer wants a meeting. They're both on their way. I'm on break for ten until they get here. Want a cup of coffee?"

"No, thanks, Fin. I'll be out soon."

Fin left the detective's office and closed the door behind him. Olivia watched as he headed off to the right, toward the break room. She set her glasses on the desk surface and took a deep breath and steepled her forefingers beneath her nose, elbows on the closed lid, thinking.

Alex had just called her a little while ago, telling her that she needed to go to Florida to meet with the extended family of Jules, the woman who had been kidnapped. A recent visit to that state by the missing hinted to the fact that some family members knew more than they were leading on about her whereabouts. Possible arguments with her husband, talks of insurance money.

So the brunette detective would be on her own in the personal spectrum department—home life, the kids—for at least a day or two and would have to hold the fort down as far as familial obligations and responsibilities went.

It wasn't the first time and Alex had taken the brunt of that role more times than they could both count and so now it was Olivia's turn to play both roles.

She stood from her desk and stretched before adjusting her badge and gun and then headed to her door, ready to sit in on the conversation that was about to be had between one angry client and his attorney that was, most likely, out for blood.

* * *

She had lied to her wife.

Originally she was going to go to Florida. But the tip she had gotten to go to JFK to board a plane to Florida had actually been a woman who explained the elaborate farce that this had turned out to be.

She had met with Jules Hunter and had listened to her story. She had heard of the abuse the woman had endured, the memories their daughter, Ruby, would have, and she had agreed to help them—however illegal it was.

Alex knew of Nick Hunter's arrest, of his time in Rikers, of the torment he had inflicted on his wife already, and the blonde knew, without a doubt, that this was something she wanted to do.

So now, she was sitting in the back of a minivan, driving to a meeting point, to retrieve yet another mother and her children.

How had she gotten so wrapped up in the small space of less than twenty-four hours?

The woman she had been intercepted by at the airport, Millicent Gray, had been running a sort of victim's underground railroad, admittedly, for the past eight years. She helped women and men and children escape the tortures of domestic violence and had been doing it unnoticed for that long.

Alex just happened to be the one that this woman had wanted to contact.

Millicent had seen Alex's work in the past, knew of her affiliation with SVU, knew who her wife was and how diligent and experience she was, and so the blonde attorney had been scoped out and virtually hunted down.

Alex and Millicent had already taken Jules and Ruby Hunter to a safe place, had stayed there for a couple of hours, and now, they were headed to help another innocent family in need of peace, freedom, and rescue.

What had gotten to her the most had been Ruby.

Ruby reminded her of her own children, mainly Isabel and Grace, and her heart strings had been yanked. She agreed to have an open mind, to listen to Mrs. Gray's words and her story and her plight, and to do what she could to be of any help possible. That was why she was doing it.

But the fact of the matter was, she lied to her wife and she felt more than a little uneasy about it.

She had been sought out, lured to a specific location, and was now doing something admirable, in her opinion, but she hated not letting her wife in on what exactly was going on.

Willingly going to a strange place, not being with her family, Olivia thinking she was halfway across the country when she was actually within walking distance—all felt like a betrayal and left Alex with a sick, overwhelmingly guilty sensation in the pit of her stomach.

Olivia would be mad, confused, shocked. She knew that.

When everything hit the ceiling blades above, her brunette wife would be fuming—about the lying, about the hiding, about the danger the blonde put herself in.

But that would have to wait.

As the Caravan pulled into the parking lot, she could see a woman inside the other car—African American, thin, expectant expression—and she knew that this was a case that would eventually come into the wide open and help many affected by their tortuous existence.

She felt it in her heart and her soul.

* * *

'You should have told me, Alex." Olivia pushed the door open and entered, stepping aside slightly as the kids ran around and ahead of them.

"I know, Liv." Alex followed Olivia into the kitchen as the three little ones ran towards the kitchen table, as was typical when they got home—backpacks on table, change upstairs, down for homework while dinner was being cooked. They knew the routine by now.

"Upstairs, babes. Change and wash hands," Olivia virtually barked.

Alex watched as the three began to head toward the stairs but then watched as they all stopped in their tracks at their brunette mother's tone. She looked at Olivia whose expression softened.

Olivia smiled grimly. "Go on up, guys. Your Mommy and I need to talk about a few things." Those cocoa eyes returned to her own and the determination was back.

A flurry of footsteps ascending the stairs told them their kids were out of earshot.

Olivia stepped closer to her wife and leaned in, her eyes fiery now. "We don't keep things from each other, Alex. You should have told me the moment you decided to do this."

Alex stiffened, folding her arms, jaw dropping open. "You're not my _keeper_ , Olivia. I have my own mind. I make my own decisions. And I felt this was the right thing to do."

Olivia furrowed her brow and drew her lips inward, studying the blonde. She laughed lightly and shook her head.

"Do _not_ shake your head at me, Olivia Benson. I did _nothing_ wrong. We're helping Jules and Ruby, aren't we?"

Olivia stepped closer still. "He _spent_ …the _night_ …in _Rikers_ …for _murder_ , Alex!" Olivia bellowed. "Had this not come out, he could have been convicted!" She threw her hands in the air in exasperation before placing them on her hips.

Alex stared into those dark brown eyes now, her wife only inches from her, both so disgusted with the other.

Alex eyed that face, that feisty expression, her hair slightly tousled from the day and the blonde softened, attempting not to smile but doing a terrible job of it. "Did you like the _'are you gonna arrest me'_ part?" The blonde's smile grew then.

Olivia's mouth dropped open, her forehead wrinkling in disbelief once more. "Are you _serious_ , Alex? Is this a _game_ to you? Someone's life, their future, their _existence_ is at stake here and you wanna bring up your whole ridiculous role playing thing? _Seriously_?"

Alex steeled her expression then, taking a step back, and taking a deep breath, closing her eyes. She pinched the bridge of her nose with her left hand before opening her eyes again, Olivia's demeanor not having faded in the slightest. "I thought we left work at _work_ and home at _home_ , Liv."

Olivia only stared her down.

Footsteps were heard descending the stairs then, along with high-pitched babbling from the kids.

"I'm not gonna get over this quickly, Alex. The lying, deceiving…you should have told me. You could have called me right away."

Alex watched as Theo came toward them, hugging Olivia's hips first and then crashing his face into Alex's lower belly. The blonde reached down with her right hand and began stroking his hair, still watching her wife. "And I'm sorry, Liv. I am. If I could go ba—"

"Don't, Alex. Just—don't…" Olivia held her hand up. "OK, guys. Spelling and math and linguine with meatballs on the way. How does that sound?" Her mood shifted into mommy mode then and she was, once again, Wonder Liv, Wonder Mom, and Wonder Woman.

Alex knew Olivia wouldn't fight in front of the kids. She also knew this conversation was far from over.

Question was, how long would this battle of the wills, this professional and private rift last, and what direction would the actual case, itself, take as the detective and attorney continued to navigate through these testy waters together as a married couple and mothers.

Alex would have to wait to find out.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry it's taken so long to update. I saw the episode and was really upset about it. No hint to anything in the episode. No reference to any old times, no "you look good", no "it's good to see you". Nothing. It was really heartbreaking for a cabenson fan to watch.**

 **I thought about taking this story off, but then I thought that there must be a way.**

 **So, I had to really think about it and try to work it into their married life. Only a few things from the actual episode were omitted for the sake of their fanfiction marriage.**

 **I hope you enjoy and would like me to continue. Thanks for reading and reviewing and the new follows and favorites. It means a lot!**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five**_

Alex cautiously entered the kitchen that same evening at nine-thirty. They had just put the kids in bed and had read stories and gotten themselves ready for sleep and were now winding down for the night.

She spotted her wife sitting at the opposite head of the kitchen table, hands wrapped around a blue mug, staring at the steam as she sat back, relaxed in a kitchen chair. She was wearing her deep purple silk robe and her hair was up in a clip.

Olivia looked up, her face still full of irritation. And as angry as she looked, Alex still couldn't help but admire her natural, at-home beauty.

Alex took a small breath and then moved to pull a chair out catty-corner from her wife, now feeling the brunette's eyes on her every move. She sat carefully and tried to formulate what she wanted to say—a way to begin without starting another argument. Olivia used her forefinger to slide a second mug closer to the blonde, a teabag tag hanging out. Alex turned the tag around and read it to herself: _Let Things Come to You_.

Alex smiled and nodded slightly, still trying to find the right words. "Thanks…"

"The husband is suing the department, and me, personally, for slander." Olivia leaned forward then, elbows on the kitchen table, and brought her mug to her mouth, taking a sip. Her eyes remained unfocused in the near distance as she set it back down and leaned back once more.

Alex began, leaning forward, "Oh, Liv…I'm sorry…but we _did_ do the right thing. You heard Jules' experiences, you saw the scalding blisters on her side, we—"

"Did the right thing?" Cocoa orbs burned into her. "Breaking the law? Framing someone for murder? Playing God with someone's life? He could have been convicted, Alex!" Olivia's voice level rose and she relaxed slightly and took a small, slow, deep breath, closing her eyes. She then began nodding slowly. "Yeah, Alex. I did hear Jules' side and what she's been through. It was terrible—the burns, the lying to the doctors. You and I both know that victims lie to medical personnel all the time to protect their abuser. And yes, it got to me, of _course_. But the fact of the matter is…"

"Is _what_ , Liv?" Alex reached out and placed her hand on top of the brunette's.

Olivia slipped it from hers—not abruptly, not in haste, but she didn't want that at that moment and Alex needed to respect that.

Olivia stood then, taking her mug with her as she slowly moved into the living room and stood facing the fireplace, her back to her. "The fact is that you shouldn't have handled it like you did. You should have _told_ me what was happening and we could have come up with a solution _together_." She turned then. "Something to help Jules and Ruby and Marie and her kids the _legal_ way." She stepped closer. "I don't like the secrets, Alex. Especially secrets that have you going against what's legally correct. And…" Olivia's voice quavered slightly, "…the fact that you felt you couldn't tell me. I…" she turned, her face softening, the hurt spread across that mocha complexion, "…I don't even know what to say about that, Al…" She cleared her throat of the sudden emotion and then took a small sip of tea, her eyes not leaving her own.

"Liv…" Alex started, placing her hand on her wife's shoulder gently, "…it's not that I felt I couldn't tell you, Babe. I wanted to tell you from the moment I found out what was going on. But it was like a whirlwind and before I knew it, I was talking to Jules in the safe house. Then Millicent got a call and we were in the parking lot. It all happened so fast and then you and I were talking and—" Alex felt her eyes filling with tears now. She couldn't help it. The look on her wife's face was too much—disappointment, rejection, heartbreak, resignation—all rolled into one.

Alex tried another timid step forward.

Olivia pulled back then and then stepped around her, moving to the sofa and sitting with one leg tucked beneath her. She leaned forward and placed her mug on the coffee table before running both hands roughly over her face. She scratched her head vigorously in frustration, bangs fluffing, before placing both hands in her lap and beginning to fiddle with her left-hand rings.

Alex stepped to the opposite of the sofa and stood. "Can I join you?"

Olivia smiled, eyes glazed over and focusing on something in the near distance. "Don't do that, Alex. Let's not do that eggshell thing right now. This is both of our house. I'm not happy with this, with _you_ , right now and you know it. You're mad that I'm upset. So, let's just understand what this is…a disagreement." Brown eyes finally looked up at her.

Olivia looked suddenly tired, done with this case already. Done with the blonde working with her. Done with the current drama it had just created in their lives.

And then the cattiness came out, without warning, without filter and her voice level rose immediately. She furrowed her brow, "And how long will you be _mad_ at me, Olivia? Huh? I feel like a scolded child. A forty-six-year-old woman being chastised by her spouse? _Really_ , Olivia?"

Olivia's jaw dropped open then, that caramel face confused. "You're _wrong_ in this, Alex." Olivia reached for her mug, placed her foot on the floor and stood, walking toward the kitchen. "There are ways to help these victims, Alex. Other than going around the law and erasing their lives to escape." Olivia leaned with her backside against the counter. "You have to realize that this _choice_ , as you call it, was the wrong one, Alex. And it's put a lot of people in jeopardy—me, Stone, the department. Just realize that, at least."

Alex shook her head, watching her wife. "And you're _always_ right. Right, Olivia?"

Olivia lifted her face to the ceiling and then laughed—not a hint of a smile on her face. She then refocused on her wife. "I won't do this with you right now, Alex. I just won't. The case just started. I'm meeting with Hunter and his attorney tomorrow morning to listen to all we did wrong, all he was wronged for, and this…this… _drama_ has only begun for me."

"Oh, _poor_ , Olivia," Alex mumbled.

" _Excuse_ me?" Olivia retorted.

They stood staring at each other for a few moments before Olivia moved to set her mug inside the basin of the kitchen sink.

The brunette rested her hands on the ledge and stared out of the window above the sink. "Let's not do this right now. Were both heated. I can take the subtext and the sarcasm, but…I'm tired and frustrated and…" Olivia's voice trailed off and she closed her eyes.

Just then, a small noise was heard and the ladies turned.

Grace entered, eyes closed, thumb in her mouth, messy blonde hair down and wispy. She was holding a stuffed elephant and walking up to them.

"Hey, Gracie," Olivia cooed. "Everything OK?"

Grace nodded and moved into Olivia, butting the brunette's belly with her forehead. Olivia reached down and cradled the back of her head, offering some comfort.

They hadn't been quiet in their argument and it was no wonder that one of their children woke up from all of the racquet downstairs.

Olivia looked at Alex then. "Let's keep things civil, Alex. At least at home. At least for the kids' sake." Her face was pleading, eyebrows raised. "OK?"

"Whatever you say, Detective." Alex offered flatly. She then squatted behind Grace and their brown-eyed daughter turned around and embraced the blonde. "Let's get you back in bed, little one. OK?"

Grace nodded against her shoulder and Alex stood, holding her hand out and Grace taking it.

"I'll put her back in bed," Alex said over her shoulder, as she and their daughter walked down the hallway.

* * *

Olivia watched as they left.

Alex was adamant about her own position and Olivia couldn't understand why her wife was so against following protocol on this one. The brunette understood the dire situations these women were in, understood the need to escape their abusers and begin fresh. But this wasn't the way to do it.

Had they come to the police first, she could have been able to help them at Haven House and all of this could have been avoided.

She wanted her wife to come around. To understand that dealing with it in a way that was so illegal wasn't the way to go. Every fiber in her being wanted the blonde to understand her conundrum.

But they were at a crossroads right now and they each couldn't see the other's point of view.

But nothing would get solved until it was over. Until the outcome presented itself and they could look back in retrospect and perhaps analyze their words, their behaviors, and the things they would have and could have changed.

For now, it had to be exactly what it was.

However difficult and unyielding they were both being.

Olivia moved around the kitchen and the living area turning off lights. She checked the stove and elements and turned the security system on and made her way down the hallway, as well, hoping she would, at least, be able to get a couple of hours of sleep in her hypersensitive state, and allow her whirling mind to rest enough to allow her body to do so, as well.

* * *

Olivia felt the bed shake next to her as she lay there in the dark, trying to fall asleep. Her eyes flitted up to the bedside alarm clock—1:24 a.m.

She took a deep breath and curled herself further into the ball she was in on her right side and closed her eyes, trying to relax.

She began breathing deeply—in for eight counts, out for eight counts, trying to will her body to relax. She opened her eyes and looked through the plantation blinds that were angled upward to allow some moonlight in and she saw the bright white crescent through the slats.

"I love you…" Alex said softly. "Even through all of this, Liv…I love you…" Her voice was soft, meek, exhausted.

Olivia closed her eyes once more and opened her mouth. "And you know I love you, Al…" Olivia waited a few seconds before adding, "…always…"

Within a few moments, Olivia felt sleep take her, finally letting her mind and body succumb to the rest that she would undoubtedly need over the next few days.

* * *

A/N: As we know, if you watched the episode, it doesn't end up well and will be another reason for a major rift.

Thanks for reading and reviewing and for the new follows and favorites. Thank you to the guest reviewers, as well. Have a wonderful weekend.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six**_

The third day of going through the motions.

Work. Tension. Home. Tension. And more of the same in between.

But Olivia continued to keep it, for the most part, bearable in front of the kids. She had the ability to turn it on and off—angry, hurt, jaded cop one minute and then back into Mommy mode with love, hugs, and kisses—in the time it took to snap ones fingers.

Alex admired that about her wife, yet it simultaneously infuriated her, as well.

They had just spoken with Jules at the safe house earlier that morning and Olivia had pleaded with the younger woman and had told her that she could protect her and that they could go to trial and that this would all be over and she and her daughter could live a normal life, in public and out of seclusion.

But Alex had her own opinions about that.

And they had argued once again.

In front of others.

Which Olivia hated.

Alex had provoked her, though, and Olivia knew that.

Alex shifted her right leg from underneath her where she was comfortable on the sofa, back propped on the arm against two throw pillows, doing a little work for the following day. Her eyes glazed over as she stared ahead, into the kitchen, her blurry focus on nothing in particular.

Instigating fights was something that the blonde had always been good at. She supposed it was in her nature after having been an attorney for so long. She also supposed she had gotten it from having an equally strong-willed sibling growing up and having to defend herself against his teasing and physical aggression and just being bigger than her for the majority of her childhood and teenage years.

Her toughness and ability to strike back was a skill and she had taken many years to perfect the sass, the steeliness, the firm justice.

But this was her wife that she was at odds with.

Alex, on the other hand, had a difficult time when it came to keeping her emotions in check, especially when it came to Olivia. The brunette stirred up so many feelings and always had. Being open and free and able to talk out their problems and have explosive arguments and debates had always been their thing, something that Alex cherished and always saw as a positive in their bond. But now that they had children, that debating freedom, that ability to openly argue for the purpose of relaying points and solving disputes had been squelched.

Alex brought the tip of the pen to her mouth and bit the plastic cap lightly, her eyes roaming over what she had just written on the yellow legal pad on her lap. She had been working on it for the past hour and was casual in a pair of gray joggers and a white, long-sleeved t-shirt, her hair in a ponytail, glasses on, and she had just written her opening arguments for court on the following day.

Olivia was expected home soon and, after their argument at the safe house just hours ago, the blonde wasn't looking forward to their reunion in the slightest. Not with the way Olivia's face had tensed and strained to hide her anger during their dispute just that morning.

Alex brought her bent knees down, outstretching them in front of her, and set the pad and pen on her upper thighs before reaching into the air and stretching. She took a deep breath, smelling the aroma of the cheesy chicken enchiladas baking in the oven, and then sighed heavily.

Stampeding footsteps coming toward her now and, before she knew it, two panting bodies were piling on top of her, hugging her, kissing her, and wrapping their arms around her.

Alex smiled and embraced her two girls back, kissing their cheeks and faces numerous times before the two stopped and looked at her, smiling sweetly, their missing teeth all the more endearing and adorable.

"Hey, Babes. You washed your hands?"

They nodded firmly.

"Homework is in your backpacks?"

Yes, Mommy," Grace said softly, beginning to twirl Alex's ponytail hair around her little finger.

"Good, my loves." Alex kissed each of their cheeks again.

"When's Mama coming home?" Isabel inquired.

Alex smiled. "Soon, Iz. She called a little while ago and is on her way. You hungry?"

" _Very_ hungry, Mommy!" Isabel grinned and then began giggling.

"Oh, _yeah_?" Alex began tickling them simultaneously. "Hungry enough to eat a _what_?"

The girls giggled wildly, their bodies wriggling on top of her.

"A dinosaur!" Grace offered.

"A elephant!" Isabel added.

Well, it's smaller than both of those. It's a chicken! But, will it do for Her Highnesses?" Alex stopped tickling and looked at them, her eyes suddenly tearing. Why? She hadn't a clue.

"I like chicken, too, Mommy!" Isabel informed her.

Alex cocked her head to the side, looking into the crystal blue eyes that mirrored her own. "I know you do, Baby. Let's get the table set so everything will be ready for dinner." Alex leaned forward to sit up as the girls removed themselves from the sofa. She then stood and the twins held their hands out to their blonde mother.

Alex took them and groaned dramatically as she pretended to let them pull her up into a standing position. "Thank you, my loves." Alex began walking toward the kitchen. "Where is your brother?"

"He said he's coming," Grace declared, moving to the drawer of the island that contained the placemats.

Alex opened the silverware drawer next to it just as the garage door opened. She froze in place momentarily and immediately looked up before taking the flatware she needed and then closed the drawer with her hip.

Olivia's eyes were still filled with that same fire and Alex narrowed her own at the intensity there.

Before Alex could give a greeting or say a word, the kids took over, including Theo who was now running down the hallway. Within seconds, Olivia had removed her gray blazer, draped it over the back of a kitchen island stool, and then had all three kids in front of her, hugging her waist, giving her love after not having seen their brunette mother all day.

Olivia squatted down and embraced the three fully, kissing them all over their faces as they smiled and held on equally as strong. "How're my three precious babies?" She pulled back and smiled.

"Good, Mama!" Isabel beamed.

"Dinner's ready!" Grace offered.

"Let's eat! I'm hungry!" Theo shouted, pulling on the brunette's elbow as she stood erect.

Alex and Olivia caught eyes again, an unreadable expression passing between them, the gaze lasting longer than was comfortable.

"I'm gonna change real quick," Olivia stated matter-of-factly. "I'll be back down in a couple of minutes for dinner, Babes." She looked at the kids again. "OK?" She clutched Theo's chin in her left hand and began untucking her navy silk blouse from her black jeans with her right.

Theo nodded and smiled.

"Come on, guys," Alex began. "Let's get the drinks and get seated so we can eat as soon as your mama comes back down."

The ladies caught eyes once more, Alex searching for a glimmer of anything that she could read, but there was nothing—no anger, no joy. Absolutely nothing to convey what she was feeling.

But Alex felt it coming.

Another verbal fight that wouldn't lead anywhere. Alex thought back to what Olivia had said a couple of nights prior. The fact that this whole ordeal wouldn't be settled and emotions and sentiments wouldn't be healed or overcome until this whole case was once and for all over and done with.

If there was something that Olivia was right about, it was this very fact.

But Alex's pride wouldn't allow any other admission of guilt on her part. She had done what she felt was right and Olivia had done, and was still doing, the same. Earlier that day, Olivia had promised protection to Jules and Ruby and had told them that a trial would end all of their suffering and problems. A trial that would return their lives to normal.

But Alex had her doubts that she could win this one.

Until both she and Olivia walked away from the precinct or from the courthouse with a ruling given to them, the Benson-Cabots would continue to be in an unpredictable limbo until further notice.

And it was beginning to wear Alex down both physically and emotionally.

That much she knew was absolutely true.

* * *

Olivia stepped off the last step, clasping her watch onto her wrist, and then moved toward the open space of the kitchen, spotting her wife in her pale blue silk robe at the island, perched on a stool, mug of coffee in her hands, blue eyes hovering just over the rim of the steaming cup.

Olivia continued on in the direction of the coffee pot.

"I'm afraid to ask you any questions." Alex's voice was soft. "I've never been afraid to talk to you, Liv. _Never_. Not in all the years we've known each other and been together."

Olivia reached for the mug and placed her hand on the handle of the pot.

"Do you consider _this_ being civil, Olivia?"

Olivia paused briefly, just short of pouring a cup for herself, and then proceeded to pour her own coffee. She smiled and shook her head before returning the carafe, and then turned and rested her backside against the counter of the kitchen sink, taking a small sip and now focusing on her wife. "What is it that you want to talk about, Alex? How the meeting with Hunter's lawyer went so horrendously? How I openly admitted that I shouldn't have arrested him for murder in the first place? How I couldn't lie about Jules and Ruby being alive and the looks on their faces when I told them? How incredibly stupid I felt during that entire meeting? My credibility called into question numerous times? How embarrassing it was today arguing in front of a complete stranger? How my wife isn't thinking clearly? How angry I am with you about this whole thing?" Olivia continued to look at her wife and watched as Alex set her mug on the butcher block surface, long, slender fingers cradling it. "Which one do you want to talk about because I feel like a powder keg and you're holding the match against the matchbox, about to strike and set everything ablaze."

After a few moments of unwavering gazes from both sides, Alex finally spoke. "And _that's_ how you feel? Like _I'm_ the volatile one?"

Olivia only shook her head and felt her emotions coming on then, tears filling her eyes. "You're not hearing me," she whispered. "I feel like, the way I'm feeling, _I'm_ the one who could implode or explode or whatever it is you want to call it. I don't feel…stable or confident in my ability to speak to you in a way that's civil, so I would just rather not say anything at all."

Olivia watched Alex nod slowly, the blonde's eyes now focused on her mug as she ran her thumb up and down along the side of the blue ceramic.

"It's been almost four days since this started, Olivia. I just…I want…"

Olivia watched her wife's eyes fill with tears, as well, and the brunette's heart strings tightened inside her chest.

As much as she wanted to walk up to her wife and hug her and hold her and tell her how much she loved her and how sorry she was that they were fighting, there was the resistant side of her, the judicious side of her that knew that Alex was wrong in this and had been wrong since this whole case had begun. The side of her that had been an SVU detective for so long was the side that wouldn't allow her walls to crumble or allow any sliver of give on her stance or emotions.

Alex looked so frail at that moment. So tiny and weak and tired and helpless, those blue eyes so full of unspoken sadness and defeat. Olivia knew that Alex was aware of her mistake, but for the blonde to admit that she was wrong, in anything, was like waiting for the second coming and the brunette knew that it wasn't going to happen any time soon.

And so it would continue. This rift, this momentary chasm in their relationship.

"I hate not talking to you, Liv. I hate going to bed angry. I hate when neither of us sleep well because we're fighting." Alex's voice was shaky, on the verge of tears.

And Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat before taking another sip of coffee. "Think about how all of this started, Alex." Olivia's voice was even, controlled. "If you would have called me and told me right away…" Olivia's voice faded off as she watched the pink hue in Alex's cheeks become more pronounced, her beautiful eyes watering once again.

A plethora of pounding feet coming down the stairs and then running down the hallway and coming into the kitchen now. The kids entered, dressed for the day, backpacks in hand. They tossed them on the sofa and then moved to the breakfast table that was already set out by Alex for their children.

Olivia watched as the three seated themselves at the table and began pouring milk from the small pitcher onto their cereal, passing it around to help themselves. They then began eating their bowls of each of their favorite cereals—Rice Krispies for Theo, Cheerios for Grace, and Cinnamon Chex for Isabel—each already in their bowls.

Olivia smiled at their voraciousness. "OK. Let's go, Babes. Twenty minutes and we have to leave. OK?" She raised her eyebrows at them and watched as they all nodded, chewing and slurping and swallowing. Her eyes returned to her wife who was also watching all three of their children.

Alex placed her feet on the floor and then stood and adjusted her robe, her eyes still on the kids. "I'll go get ready. I won't be long…" She began to head toward the staircase, but not before moving to kiss each and every one of their children first.

Olivia watched her movements, watched the sweetness of her actions, the love in her touch as the blonde attempted to get some affection from her children—a closeness that the brunette wasn't giving her at present.

Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath, silently praying that this case would soon be over with and that they could resume their normal lives and reconnect again after this situation and process and move forward as a married couple, as best friends, and as two people who just needed to learn something from this very personal situation and case that had entered their lives.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you to the new follows and favorites. It seems the last chapter incited some emotion from a couple of you. I am team Cabenson and as many of you know, I write from two POVs. I am team Alex and team Olivia and try to show both sides and portray what they are both feeling and struggling with. The last chapter, as I reread it over and over, I felt badly for Alex and wanted the readers to be empathetic, which was my goal.**

 **This is a chapter that should make "Love Won't Leave" readers happy as there is a bit of closure. One more chapter after this one and it will be complete.**

 **I hope you enjoy and, as always, I would love to hear from you.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Seven**_

 _Dead._

Jules Hunter was dead. The previous day, Olivia and Alex had been having a glass of wine at a bar around the corner from the precinct after a long morning and a long day of working on the case when she received the phone call—the younger mother had been struck by a car while crossing the intersection of West 10th Street and Greenwich.

The ladies had been celebrating Alex's success and first official case back since before she had the twins. They were also trying to come to some sort of amends to their situation, to their relationship, to their marriage—an agreement to disagree and try and move forward to make things easier for themselves and the children.

They had talked about the case, about Alex's decision to help Millicent and Jules and the other women that had been taken to the safe house, and about the numerous women in New York, in the world, in the same situation as Jules.

The conversation had flowed and had begun to open them both up, giving hope to the darkness of the past five days of their lives and how bleak they had seemed for both women.

They had talked about the tension at home, at work, and how each was aware of the impact it had been having on Theo, Grace, and Isabel. And they had talked about their own conflict and had made a verbal pact to try and be more patient with each other and communicate more effectively. But their conversation had only scratched the surface of all they still needed to say, all they had yet to resolve.

And then the news had come. Two glasses of red wine—a bottle being had between them—and Olivia's cell phone had rung, startling the brunette out of the joy of spending uninterrupted adult time with her wife again.

She had gone to the scene of the hit and run and then the hospital, making sure Carisi was OK and verifying the details of the accident and absorbing exactly what had happened.

She hadn't told Alex right away but on the following morning—that very morning—the news was broken to the blonde at the station. And she hadn't been happy. And Olivia didn't blame her one bit.

Now the brunette detective was sitting in her Datsun in the back driveway on Lexington, giving herself a few moments to collect her thoughts before she actually depressed the button of the garage door opener to allow the large door to begin its ascent and notify her family that she was home. She brought her hand to her face and pinched the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. She was glad the case was finally over, but there were reparations that needed to be made in her own life.

But she just wasn't ready yet. She wasn't ready to go in. Wasn't ready to break down completely, as she often did after a difficult case like this one.

She sniffed and cleared her throat and then took a deep breath through her nose and then let it out slowly through her mouth and then did it again.

Headlights flashed behind her—a neighbor turning in and then passing by in the alley, on their own way to their abode—and then she caught her own reflection in the rearview.

Her eyes. She looked exhausted. Of that there was no doubt. Tired and drawn and somehow ten years older than only a few days ago. A woman in desperate need of a vacation, of a little pampering, of some down time with her family. She needed one-on-one time with her wife, as well. She needed to reconnect with Alex in the way they used to. No kids, no responsibilities, no one to come between rekindling the connection that was so strong in their lives and always had been.

And she knew now.

All of this blaming her wife and she now knew that it was ultimately her fault.

It was her fault that Jules had been killed. Olivia felt her eyes fill with moisture then, uncontrolled, her lower lids filling quickly and, without her consent, a lone tear rolled down her right cheek. She swiped at it quickly and then felt her lower lip tremble, as well.

If she hadn't insisted that Jules go to trial, to try and be free of her husband the legal way. If she had let Alex and Millicent protect her and change her identity and just leave the city and start anew, none of this would have happened.

No one would have died and Ruby would still have her mother in her life, to watch her grow up, to be with her through all of the events and memories that a mother should attend in their child's life. The guilt she felt over the grim future of that little girl without her mother weighed heavily on her heart.

She thought of her own daughters, of her son. She had three amazing children just on the other side of that heavy metal door. She had an incredible, caring, sexy soulmate behind it, as well. All waiting for her. All ready for Olivia to come home and spend the weekend with them.

An image of Alex's morose eyes flashed into her mind then. She was still in awe of the amazing blueness of them. Still affected by the hurt and frustration they held as of late. The conflicted emotions that the blonde had been dealing with. All of it because of Olivia. Because of the brunette detective not backing down, not yielding in any way. Not being the kind of wife, lover, and best friend she should have been all along.

Alex.

She never wanted to make her feel like this, to do this to her. Seeing her wife cry was one of the hardest things Olivia ever had to witness. And knowing that the reason that Alex was hurting was because of her, because of something that could have been easily ended with a smile, a touch, a hug, and it hadn't been resolved sooner, guilted Olivia even more than any detail in this entire case, this entire situation.

She couldn't live without her wife. Without her love, her touch, her smile, and over the past week, with her physical and emotional health suffering and her heart hurting as much as it had been, it was more than clear that this rift needed to be fixed. For their sake, for the sake of their marriage, and even for the children's sake.

Olivia swiped at another stray tear and then reached up and angled the rearview to face her. She brought her hands to her eyes and ran her fingertips below them, wiping away the day, the visible emotions, and then took one more cleansing, calming breath.

She wanted to fix this now more than ever. It had gone on too long. She needed Alex. She needed her wife, her lover, her best friend.

Olivia depressed the button on the garage controller and watched as it slowly rolled upward, smiling to herself, happy to be home and ready to sort this out with the one person whom she had missed more than anything over the past few days.

Alex.

The only person that had ever made her immeasurably happy. The woman who understood her like no other. The woman who completed her life, who brought a peace and serenity like she had never felt into her world. The woman who was an amazing mother to her children. The woman who loved her. The woman she couldn't live without.

* * *

"Do you and Olivia still want Casey and I to take the kids tomorrow night while you go to the symphony?" Jonathan, took a final sip of tea and set his mug down, looking at his sister.

"I don't know, Jonathan. I'm not sure that's still on." Alex stared into her mug, her eyes glazing over. "Things…lately…I don't know…" She looked up at her brother then, her vision impeded by impending tears.

"Talk to me, sis. What is it? I know you just came off of a rough one, but you and Olivia…you two are…so solid and always have been. You've always been the ones giving me the hope in my own marriage." He smiled grimly. "Talk to me, Allie."

Alex's tears began to fall then. Talking to her brother about this wasn't fair to Olivia, especially when they hadn't truly settled things on their own yet. It felt like a betrayal and she just wanted things back to the way they had been—her life, her love, her best friend. Alex wiped below her nose with a napkin as her emotions came on even stronger. "I _can't_ , Jonathan…" Alex stood abruptly then and took her cup and her brother's cup to the sink and set them both on the counter next to it.

"Allie…" His deep voice was closer then and she could feel him right behind her.

"I need…" Alex closed her eyes then, feeling the moisture fill them, her mind and heart so full of intense emotions at that point that all she wanted to do was scream and yell or roll into a ball and sleep.

"What, sis?" His voice was even closer then, and she felt hands on her shoulders, comforting yet overwhelming.

"Jonathan don't—I just can't do this right now…my mind, my heart…I can't…" She shrugged her shoulder and then quickly slipped around him and opened the refrigerator door, beginning to take ingredients out for dinner and set them on the stove top—chicken, zucchini, garlic.

She heard her brother sigh heavily then as she reached into a lower cabinet and retrieved a casserole dish.

"I just want to help you, Allie. You look so…you seem so…"

Alex slammed the lower cabinet door with her foot and then stopped, hands on hips, staring at her brother. "Sad? Angry?" Alex nodded quickly, feeling her emotions coming on once more. "I am, Johnny. Both of those. And you can add frustrated, lonely, and now defeated and hopeless to that list." Her lower lip began to tremble before she whispered, "…and lost…"

"Allie…" His voice was gentle, empathetic, kind.

She wanted to slap herself for letting her emotions get the worst of her in front of her brother. She groaned in frustration and turned her back to him, beginning to unwrap the chicken and place it into the casserole dish. "I'm sorry, John-John, but you can't help me on this one." Alex felt her nose sting with mucus and even more liquid fill her eyes, her mouth now trembling beyond her control. Every stimulus put her on high alert, her sensitive emotions set off with even the kindest of words, the slightest of touches. "I'm not sure anything can help us at this point."

And her knees gave out on her, her elbows hitting the wooden surface of the counter as she held her face in her trembling hands and she sobbed, really letting it out since this all began.

"Allie…" A soothing hand on her back then and she cried even harder.

"I _can't_ , Johnny…"

The hand left her back and then she felt another warm hand on her shoulder, smelled the familiar perfume and conditioner and soap next to her. That hand then gently glided to the middle of her back and began a slow, familiar, soothing circular motion that could only have been the motions of one person—Olivia. She knew her wife's touch, had been longing for it, craving it over the past week, and now she melted into it as she continued to snivel against her palms.

"Al…" Olivia's voice was soft, gentle next to her.

Alex finally straightened and turned and looked into deep brown, morose eyes. Her wife had been crying, as well. She could always tell with Olivia. Those cocoa orbs were watery, her eyes slightly puffy beneath. Her nose—that beautifully fitting nose—was raw and pink with her own sadness.

Olivia moved into her then and Alex saw the conflict there, the brunette seeming to be waiting for approval, for an invitation, for permission to be close to the blonde once more.

Alex smiled slightly, feeling the quaver on her mouth once more and then she reached out, slowly sliding her hands along her wife's waist and around her back, pulling her close, the brunette doing the same.

They held each other, swaying slightly, Alex feeling her hair being stroked, hearing sniffling against her ear, feeling warm tears as they soaked the shoulder of her black sweater.

"I'm so sorry, Al…" Olivia whispered. "I'm so sorry…for everything, Babe…"

Alex held her tighter and turned her face to kiss the lobe of her wife's right ear. "I've missed you…" Alex tried. "Everything's felt so wrong this week, Liv."

"I know, Al." Olivia held her even tighter then, the brunette shaking beneath her touch. "I love you, Alex…" Olivia pulled away then and looked her face over before cupping her jaw with both hands and smiling, both of them with tears in their eyes, rolling down their cheeks. "I want you back, I want us back…I just _want_ you…" Olivia smiled.

Alex nodded quickly and she placed her hands on her wife's wrists. "Me, too, Liv…let's do that, Babe. OK?"

Olivia nodded and then her focus went to Alex's mouth.

Alex closed her eyes and felt her wife's warm breath before she felt those soft lips touch her own. The kiss was simple, yet erotic, and was a reminder of how much she had missed the simple, physical touch of Olivia.

Olivia moaned softly before the kiss ended and Alex opened her eyes, noting her wife's were still closed. The blonde smiled and watched those deep, soulful orbs open and look right into her soul.

"Let's keep our date tomorrow night. You want to?" Alex raised her eyebrows.

Olivia nodded quickly, that broad, million-watt smile spreading across her face. "Absolutely, Al. I would love nothing more than to take my beautiful wife out on the town." Olivia leaned in and kissed her once more, this time slower, longer, the sensuality building. Pulling away, she whispered. "I can't wait."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_

It was Saturday, about seven-fifteen the next morning, and Alex sat on one of the wrought-iron chairs at the tiny café table in their courtyard, listening to the chipper birds, hearing the high, tinny sound of a jackhammer in the distance, movers calling to each other a couple of streets away. She brought her mug to her lips and took a small sip of the rich brew and swallowed before taking another sip and setting the cup on the table in front of her. She watched as a tiny finch flew to the railing of the gate and then jumped down to the cobblestone brick ground, pecking at a piece of withered grass, trying to clasp it with his beak.

A small breakthrough had been made and she felt the connection to her wife once again. She hadn't realized how much of a physical and emotional effect all of this had had on her over the past week but when she had broken down in the kitchen in front of her brother, she knew then that it had reached a breaking point with her and that something had to give.

The look in Olivia's eyes was heartbreaking and Alex could see a week's worth of pent up emotion in that somber, caramel expression, as well.

They had both been through a lot and it was like someone had finally inserted the key, turned it, and opened the door enough for each to see the other.

She watched the bird carry something away in its beak and she smiled, cradling her hands around the warmth of the ceramic.

She needed her wife—her mind needed the conversation, her heart needed the connection, and her body needed her touch, no matter how simple or innocent the action. Their bond was worth more than a case, more than their jobs, more than a badge or a diploma. It was sure, it was strong, it was unbreakable.

Alex heard movement now—a slight shuffling of feet—and then the small squeaking of the sunroom door before she felt her wife's presence behind her.

"Good morning…" Olivia's voice was soft, slightly raspy.

Alex smiled and turned, watching her wife come around her left and into view. Olivia was in her beige silk robe, hair down and messy, her bronze face slightly cheek-creased from a good night's sleep. "Good morning, Babe." Alex held her left hand out, "You look like you slept well."

"I did, Al…much better than I have in a while." Olivia moved into Alex, pressing her knees to the blonde's left thigh. She leaned into and hovered over her, smiling. "And you look…" Olivia shook her head, her eyes scanning her wife's face, "…so beautiful…"

Their lips met and the sensation was overwhelming—slow, sensual, warm—and Alex couldn't help but moan and smile as the butterflies in her stomach dove into her lower belly, and then even lower at this simple action.

The kiss slowly ended and Olivia knelt down and worked her way in between Alex's thighs and placed her hands on the tops of her legs, just looking at her.

"What, Babe?" Alex furrowed her brow, still smiling. She reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind Olivia's ear and then placed her hands on top of the brunette's.

"I'm just…I'm glad we're talking again, Al. I can't…not being able to…it's just been—"

Alex parted her legs wider and Olivia moved in closer, resting her left cheek on the blonde's chest, closing her eyes. Alex began a slow stroking of her wife's hair before leaning down and kissing the crown of her thick, locks.

Olivia tightened her hold on Alex's back then, hugging her tightly, both just content in the moment of closeness.

"I know, Liv. We're both just so…strong-willed and sure in our logic and it sometimes works against us. And when we both get like that…"

"God, help us…" Olivia giggled against her. "But…" Olivia's voice was shaky now, "…I was wrong, Alex…" Olivia pulled away and looked up then and Alex saw her eyes suddenly filled with tears, "…and now…" Olivia's face contorted with emotion then.

Alex grabbed her face in her hands and shook her head. "Don't do this to yourself, Liv. What happened, happened. We can't go back and change anything and you most definitely cannot blame yourself. _Please_ , Babe…" Alex pleaded, "… _please_ don't do that."

Olivia looked at her, studying her, her brain processing, contemplating, those deep brown eyes so affected. Then she drew her lips inward momentarily before speaking again. "I'll try, but you know me…it'll be hard and it'll be a while, Al."

"I do know you, and…" Alex stood and Olivia did, as well, "…I know that _you_ , my love…" Alex slipped her arms around her wife, belly to belly, and held her close, clasping her hands behind her back, "…my beautiful, amazing, intelligent detective wife always wants to do the right thing and I always respect, have _always_ respected that about you…"

Olivia's eyes filled with tears then and she nodded quickly and swallowed before whispering, "You know me, but…she—" Olivia gasped then and her face twisted in anguish.

Alex took her wife's face into her hands again and shook her head. "No, Liv… _please_ , Babe…" Alex pressed her forehead against Olivia's and watched as her wife's eyes closed. She closed hers as well. "Think of the good, what _we_ have. We have each other. We have our beautiful children. We have our amazing house and our amazing lives. What happened was a tragedy and it was terrible, but it's _not_ your fault."

Olivia tried to speak then, opening her lips slightly, her mouth and mind trying to find some words.

But Alex intervened. "We both know what happened, Olivia. Her husband murdered her, plain and simple. He was the one who did this. He planned it, he made it happen."

"And he'll never face the consequences…" Olivia said softly.

"No…" Alex agreed, pulling away, hands still cupping her wife's face, "…no, he won't. But one day…"

Olivia opened her eyes then.

"…one day he'll be judged and he'll get what's coming to him, maybe even a little vigilante justice…" Alex smiled.

"A pair of garden sheers to his manhood?" Olivia raised an eyebrow, her face serious.

Alex laughed and pulled her back into a hug, the brunette wrapping her own arms around her tightly. "Maybe something like that…" Alex chuckled, feeling the warmth of her wife's body, the smoothness of the silky fabric of her robe, the smell of her wife against her, and she closed her eyes. "I love you, Liv…"

"I love you, too, Babe. Always…" Olivia declared softly.

* * *

Olivia placed her hand on her wife's right knee as the blonde drove, turning left onto the street that would take them to their driveway. She squeezed firmly and they caught eyes with each other and both smiled.

Dinner had been wonderful. They had dined at one of Alex's favorite French restaurants, _Quatorze Bis_ , and Alex had the braised duck and Olivia the grilled salmon, both dressed to the nines.

Olivia had chosen a strappy black, fitted Tadashi dress that fell at her knees, hair down, strappy heels to match, and Alex had on a charcoal gray, cap-sleeved jumpsuit that dipped in the front, a sheer, crème Pashmina shawl, and a pair of black Louboutin heels, her hair in a low chignon, glasses off for the evening.

Dinner conversation had flowed and they had reconciled some more, releasing their thoughts, emotions and pent up, unsaid conversations that they had blocked from each other throughout the week—about little funny things the kids did or said, small experiences each of them had when not with the other, and other little minutia—all of which they typically shared daily at the conclusion of the evening, no matter what.

The symphony had been an ode to Johannes Brahms and had been captivating, Olivia sneaking looks at her wife many times throughout the performance to catch her grinning broadly, the blonde so giddy with excitement. And Olivia had only smiled, squeezed her hand, and brought it to her mouth to kiss it softly.

Now, they were home, ready to say goodnight to the kids and turn in for the evening.

Alex pulled the Rover into the garage and then turned the engine off, both waiting for the garage door to lower and encompass them in the sanctity of their abode.

Olivia took a deep breath and then turned to Alex. "I had a really good time tonight."

She watched Alex smile and the blonde turned. "Me, too, Liv. Everything was so perfect—the food, the symphony."

"It was…and you look…" Olivia shook her head, her eyes roaming over her wife, "…if I didn't already tell you a million times—"

"You did…" Alex interjected, smirking.

"Then make it a million and one because you are absolutely stunning, Al." Olivia cleared her throat, feeling the heat in her cheeks and deep within her belly. "I have wanted nothing more than to ravage you all ni—"

The garage door swung open, the light now entering the garage, and Lana's silhouette, along with three shorter ones, came into view.

"Looks like we're on," Alex smiled.

"Looks like it," Olivia said disappointedly.

"Finish that thought later?" Alex raised her eyebrows and smirked.

"Absolutely, Al." And Olivia couldn't help but lean into her wife and kiss her chastely before pulling away and smiling. She placed her right hand on the SUV's door handle and pulled. "Mommy mode on." She pushed it open and was met by a cacophony of voices.

The two ladies moved into the doorway, now being handled and hugged and gripped by their children, so many stories to tell, so much to share with them.

"I promise I put them to bed," Lana claimed, defeated. "They heard the garage door and ran down here."

"It's fine, Lana," Alex offered, placing her clutch on the kitchen island and taking out a couple of bills, the twins still holding on to her.

"Mommy, you look so pretty," Isabel beamed.

"And Mama, too!" Grace offered, moving to the brunette and hugging her waist.

"Thank you, Baby." Olivia leaned over and kissed the top of Grace's head, eyeing Theo who was standing off to the side. His eyes were closed and he was yawning and scratching his head. She smiled at their son as he opened his eyes and grinned back at her. She reached out her hand and he walked into her, burying his face into her arm pit. She held him close and kissed his head, as well.

And this was what it was about. Family. Love. Life. The good times.

Olivia watched as Lana and Alex headed to the front doorway, all three kids hanging on the brunette now, and Alex closed the door behind the young babysitter.

Alex turned and smiled at the four of them, folding her arms and walking up to them. "In bed, guys. Grace and Theo, you have your soccer games tomorrow and Iz, you have that recital practice. Let's go. Upstairs."

"Yes, Mommy!" Isabel said enthusiastically.

The three ran up the stairs—a rumbling of noisy footsteps—and then all was quiet.

Standing at the bottom of the steps, Olivia moved into Alex, slithering her arms around her and moving in close, her mouth hovering. "I want you…" she husked, "…so badly, Al…" Olivia let her mouth linger just at the corner of the blonde's mouth before letting her lips graze her cheek. "I just want to be close to you again, love you…"

She felt Alex waiver slightly on her feet, felt her body begin to tremble in her hold, heard the shakiness in her breathing as their bodies became enmeshed, warm breath now hitting points enticingly.

"Let's…" Alex cleared her voice of the rasp, "…let's make sure they're in bed and then…"

Olivia reached down with both hands and let her palms squeeze that perfect ass firmly in her grip. Alex let out a gasp and a sigh and a slight moan and Olivia felt a nip on her ear lobe and then hot breath, causing every tiny hair on her body to stand at attention.

"You were saying?" Olivia giggled.

"Let's make love, Liv…" Alex's voice was needy, yearning.

"Your wish, Al…is always my command…" Olivia smiled and pulled away, held her hand out and the blonde took it.

They ascended the steps slowly, hand-in-hand, off to perform their final motherly duties for the evening and then move on to loving each other, both of them so ready for this anticipated contact between them.

* * *

Alex felt a slight touch, a gentle finger gliding along her shoulder, then her upper arm, then her elbow, then her hip, her upper thigh, and then her knee before she opened her eyes to find the brunette watching her. They were both scantily clad—Alex in a pair of lavender bikini briefs and a matching thin-strapped tank top, and Olivia in a lacy black chemise—after their previous evening of loving each other.

"Hey there. Good morning," Olivia tried before biting her lower lip.

Alex couldn't help but smile before she rolled onto her back and stretched fully, squeaking in the process. She returned to her position on her left side and reached out for her wife's hand.

Olivia intertwined her fingers and then brought Alex's digits to her mouth and kissed them gently before holding both of their hands against her chest.

"Mmmm, an invitation for a free feel? Yes, please." Alex yawned again.

Olivia chuckled. "No invitation needed, Alex. My girls are yours anytime. And you know it."

Alex opened her eyes again and looked at Olivia, the two just gazing appreciatively at one another.

Then Olivia's smile broadened and her body began shaking with laughter. "So… do you think we should work together again?"

Alex couldn't help but smile. She then flared her nostrils and narrowed her eyes as she pursed her lips, looking up at the ceiling. "Do I what? Do I want our house to burn down? Do I want to bubonic plague to infect us all? Do I hope leprosy hits New York City? Do I want a swarm of roaches to cover my body and enter my orafices?"

And before she knew it, Olivia was on top of her, straddling her and holding her wrists next to the blonde's ears, both breathless and laughing.

Alex felt her eyes fill with emotion then and watched as her wife's face held the same sentiment.

"We're OK, right Al?"

Alex only nodded fervently before sniffing. "Absolutely, Liv." She smiled and cocked her head to the side. "More than OK, Babe."

Olivia nodded slowly, her face serious, her focus on Alex's eyes. "Forever?"

"Forever, Liv."

And Olivia leaned into her and gave her a kiss that told of an infinite love, an undying dedication, and an unyielding passion—one that would surround them for always.

* * *

 **A/N: You know I'm a sucker for a happy ending. Full of angst and then it all comes together. This was the end. I would love to hear from you and what you thought. Thank you for the readers, follows, favorites and kind reviews. They have made my writing so much more fun with the communication.**

 **My true thanks belongs to the readers who have been with me since 2015, when I started writing, through the whole "Love Won't Leave" Experience. Thank you for giving me a chance on all the stories.**

 **Those of you whom I repeatedly see reading and reviewing have meant the world and I thank you for your support for so long. I've gained different readers and I've lost just as many. But the ones who have stayed since the beginning of my journey on FanFiction have meant the most. So I thank you immensely for that.**

 **These characters are now engrained in me and when I write them, I see them, their mannerisms that we see, their spirits, and I hope that you have gotten the same over the past few years.**

 **Peace and Love,**

 **Patricia**


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